1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a media cartridge autoloader, and particularly relates to a media cartridge picker that moves a media cartridge in a media cartridge autoloader serving as a data storage unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical media cartridge autoloader includes a media cartridge picker in the center, a mail slot at the front side, at least one media drive at the rear side, and media cartridge transport magazines at the lateral sides.
The media cartridge picker is configured to retrieve a media cartridge and transport it between the mail slot, the media drive, and the media cartridge transport magazines. The media cartridge autoloader may be mounted on a rack. For space considerations, a specified height for the media cartridge autoloader may be required. For example, the media cartridge autoloader may have a height requirement of “2U” as illustrated in FIG. 1, to allow the media cartridge autoloader to be fitted into a zack system that supports the media cartridge autoloader.
The media cartridge picker includes a base, a turntable configured to rotate on the base so as to change the orientation of the media cartridge, and a media cartridge transport mechanism provided on the turntable and configured to retrieve and transport the media cartridge.
As for the media drive, plural types are available commercially. The height of a media cartridge inserting slot varies according to the type of media drive used.
In the conventional technology, the height of the media drive is adjusted so as to match the media cartridge inserting slot with the height of the turntable of the media cartridge picker.
In a case of a media drive where the media cartridge inserting slot thereof is disposed at a low position, it is necessary to raise the media drive at a higher position by putting a plate under the media drive. In some cases, the height of the media cartridge autoloader becomes greater than the height 2U of the media cartridge autoloader. Thus, the media cartridge autoloader does not meet the customers' needs.